Coach Avery Johnson benched Humphries, in the first season of a two-year, $24 million contract, for Brooklyn's 95-92 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Nets, who have still lost seven of 10 games. After an 11-3 start, Brooklyn is 14-12 overall.

Kris Humphries' numbers are down after signing a $24 million contract. (AP Photo)

Humphries was taken out of the starting lineup for Gerald Wallace, and Keith Bogans took his spot in the rotation, giving the Nets a smaller look. Johnson said after the game that Humphries (7.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg) wasn't in the doghouse—just that it was best for the team.

“We wanted to get more space for some of our scorers, we wanted Gerald to ignite our break for us because he’s pretty good at that, and we needed another 3-point shooter and defender in the lineup, so that’s why we went to Bogans," Johnson told reporters.

Humphries' deal with the Nets, as noted by the Times, was born less out of want and more out of need on the franchise's part; they must play a rebounder opposite center Brook Lopez, and they had to have tradable contracts on the books for their failed run at Dwight Howard.

Wallace, though, hits the boards and provides what Humphries doesn't—scoring, assists, energy and the ability to space out players.